The Fox Wife
by RiddletheSphinx
Summary: Piccolo and Nail are used to banishing some terrifying demons, but this time there seems to be something different. Is Freeza hiding something from them and what really happened to Son Chi-Chi? Human!AU/Fantasy AU


"It looks pretty normal", Nail said, brushing aside a branch to get a better look at the village. It was a good amount of houses surrounding the main street, with one house rising above the rest like it was looking over the rest of the village. Nothing special, just a village.

Piccolo shrugged, leaning against a tree as he looked as well. He could see a few people milling around and like Nail he thought it looked like a normal village. It felt different, though, he could feel the wards almost pressing against his skin. He raised a hand, watching as the white circles tattooed into his dark skin glow.

"They have about three or four levels of wards. More than a village like this should have", Piccolo pulled his hand back, rubbing the tattooed skin, "They're scared"

"Of a fox? Normally they're guardians or just tricksters. Do you really think that the fox is doing what they say? I mean…", Nail waved his hand at the village where when they looked closer they could see some of the buildings and even the grass was burnt, "This seems a little extreme"

Piccolo pushed away from the tree, beginning to make his way down the hill into the village, "That's why we're here. We'll deal with it"  
"And if it's a fox? What then? Isn't it a sign if the spirits are suddenly going against their natures?" Nail probed, attempting to get his partner to admit that there might be something wrong, "That the infection is getting— "

"Shut up. We will deal with it. Okay?" Piccolo swung around shoving his finger into Nail's face.

If it hadn't been from the fact that Piccolo's face was wrinkled in concern and just the smallest hint of fear, Nail might have continued to push. But instead, he just nodded, remaining silent. The rest of the walk to the village was spent in silence, only the sound of their footsteps echoing around them.

Neither noticed when a silver fox slipped from around a tree, walking the pair as they walked away. After a moment the fox disappeared into the forest.

Piccolo was used to meeting people who attempted to impress him with their wealth, it hardly made an affect on him any longer. Normally it was the people who didn't have much but still tried to give him something that made him uncomfortable. Freeza was no different, a man attempting to impress with his wealth and failing completely.  
Not to say that Freeza was like every other wealthy man he had met, there was something strange and cold about the man. If such a thing was possible Piccolo would believe that one of his parents had been a yuki onna. While such a union could have produced his looks, ghostly white hair and skin, such a thing was hardly possible. Freeza was just a human, barely a trace of magic floating from him. A cruel and annoying human, but human all the same.

He couldn't wait to get out of the house, it was just as bad as Freeza, white and cold. He didn't even know there was so much white stone to be found outside of the Imperial Palace. At least in the place it was only used sparingly. He could swear that everywhere he turned there was more blinding white. Piccolo attempted to settle himself on the pillow that he was sitting on. Purple not white amazingly enough, but the colour was garnish against the white floor.

"I would appreciate if we could get along with why you have called us here F-. Lord Freeza", his tongue tripped over the title. Technically the man was lord of nothing but his village. But that was enough, enough for him to insist on the title being used. Piccolo might have had no respect for Freeza but he wasn't about to get kicked out of the village and let the inhabits die. His ego wasn't that bit but he had a feeling that Freeza's could be.

"Of course, a man of action. I understand completely, after all, I want this dealt with as much as you do. We don't need any more damage. I'm sure that you saw where she attempted to burn down a few of our buildings. Some of my people have burns even, it's only a matter of time until she kills someone", Freeza's fingers wrapped around a tea cup, almost tight enough to crack the delicate glass, his white skin almost turning purple with the grip.

"She?" Nail asked, feeling just in the back of his mind the slightest tingle that there was something wrong with Freeza's statements, "You know that the monster is a woman?" He looked at Piccolo for a moment and knew that they were thinking the same thing. People traditionally considered any monster unless it was a traditionally female one like the yuki-onna to be male. There was an assumption of masculinity to things that went bump in the night.

Freeza's mouth twitched, before he spoke, "Ah yes. Several people have heard her speak, in a female voice. A vixen seems to be the cause of our problems hmm?"

Piccolo nodded, his fingers moving slowly over the wood grain of the table, "And you're sure it's a fox? They aren't usually this violent. We've seen fox wives before, foxes that pretend to be human women to seduce men, foxes that steal random things, hell we've even seen a few foxes who are arsonists. But what you describe seems to be a fox that's deliberately attempting to destroy your town. Unless someone did something to her…"

"Ah", if Freeza had been a lake his frozen surface would have been cracking under the pressure of the questions, as it was his façade of calm was falling to pieces, "I have no idea why she's after us. I assure you that no one here would dare disrespect a fox"

"Any deaths recently?" Piccolo pulled a book from his bag, flipping through until he got to the section on fox demons, "In the time far since she's appeared at least?"

Again Freeza's mouth twitched, and he turned away from the exorcists. His lips pressed together in a thin line. He took a deep breath before he continued to speak, "One. But Son Chi-Chi died of natural causes. She lost her husband while she was pregnant and the stress…", he shrugged, "Her child lived but she didn't"

"Her child still lives in the village?" Nail asked, despite the amount of death that he and Piccolo saw it still saddened him to hear about a woman leaving her children behind.

"Both children. She had an older boy before her husband went off to war the first time. Then he came back, unharmed. When he left the second time they didn't even know she was pregnant yet. It was a horrible thing, but with the conquest attempts… He did what he had to do to protect our country", Freeza's voice attempted to be light and sound like he was proud of the man for going off to war, but at the same there was a hint of sarcasm. It was clear that Freeza wasn't impressed with Son Chi-Chi's husband.

Piccolo nodded, he still felt like Freeza was holding something back from them but he only had a feeling. Without proof he couldn't push any harder without causing issues, "We'll look around, see the locations where she attacked, see if we can find anything to lead us back to her. But first, can you just show us where we'll be staying? We need a few moments to regroup with the new information"

"Of course course, I'll have Zarbon show you to your quarters. Anything you need, I'll do my best to assist you", Freeza gave a gentle smile, before he pulled a cord sending a bell ringing through the household.

It only took a moment for a green haired man to come through a doorway. He bowed to Freeza, not bothering to look at the guests, "Yes Lord Freeza, how can I assist you?"

"Can you show our guests to the house that we prepared for them? And…then come right back. I need your assistance with a few things"

"Yes Lord Freeza"

Freeza waited until he heard the front door shut and he knew that Zarbon was out of hearing range with the exorcists. He pulled his arm back, firing the cup into the wall with a loud crash, "FUCK", he stared at the mess for a moment before he yelled again, "SOMEONE COME CLEAN THIS SHIT UP"

Freeza shook the bottle of alcohol before he just popped the top off and downed a good bit of it in one gulp. He slammed the bottle down on the table, wiping his mouth, "What do they know?"

Zarbon crossed his arms behind his back, pulling his back up straight, "Nothing sir, they aren't in any way looking at you for the indicant with the Son woman. They just assume that it's a normal demon. Though sir, even… even if they figure it out, there is still the matter of the demon. No other exorcist we have called has been able to get rid of her. They are our last chance"

"Shit", Freeza pressed his fingers to his forehead, "What the hell are we supposed to do then? Let them kill her and then kill them? They came straight from the imperial city; I do believe that someone will come looking for them"

"If I may suggest sir, once they leave from our location we can send assassins. Have them killed on the road and it will look like bandits. I believe that Vegeta would be happy to take care of that, for a fee of course"

Freeza nodded, taking another drink of his bottle. He was a bit too rattled to be thinking clearly at the moment and was pleased that Zarbon was on the ball, "That will work. Vegeta has his own reasons for striking back against the Empire. If he's caught, there's little chance of tracing it back to us"

"I'll take measures to contact him sir, just encase it happens that they figure out what is accruing of course. If they do not then we don't have anything to worry too much about", he smirked ever so slightly, "It does pay to be prepared after all"

"Of course. DO what you must. And do it fast. Or as fast as possible", Freeza twisted his hand around the neck of the bottle, debating taking another swig while he wasn't needing to meet with anyone. It could be a bit of relaxation while the exorcists looked for their evidence, "Make sure that you know what they're doing. I don't need something to slip by us"

"Yes sir"

Piccolo pressed his hand to the charred ground, looking back towards Nail for a moment, "If I pass out, you know what to do"

Nail nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. He bit his lip, looking around. There were a few people milling around, curious about what they were doing, "I hate it when people watch us. It makes me nervous as hell"

"Everything makes you nervous", Piccolo muttered before his hand flared to life with magic, the white light spreading up his arm into the rest of his tattoos and his eyes. His power flowed into the ground, the bright light surrounding them and the charred ground.

Slowly the visions started to come to him, a silver fox the size of a horse, nine tails spread out behind her. The fox screamed, almost sounding like a woman or a child screaming in pain. Fire spewed from her jaws, but Piccolo noticed one thing. None of her flames touched any of the towns people, she was clearly aiming them away from the people. Instead her flames were barely touching the ground and buildings. It wasn't until a few guards, dressed in Freeza's colours approached her that her aim was getting better. She opened her maw and flames shot towards the guards.

"Piccolo?" Nail's hand touched his shoulder, pulling him from his visions, "Are you okay? You're…"

"I'm what?" Piccolo turned his head, noticing that there was smoke starting to float up from the ground. He looked down, the smoke was coming from his hand, "AH", he jerked backwards, pulling his hand from the ground. He turned it over, but besides the gentlest tinge of red to his lighter palm there was no damage, "Shit"

Nail twisted his head, looking at the villagers again, "Nothing to see here folks, just a bit of magic! You're all safe!"

Piccolo pulled his hand close to his chest, his teeth digging into his lip, "I don't know what the fuck is going on Nail, but I don't fucking like it"

"I have to agree with you, smoking hands are never good. Unless I mean you're casting a fire spell or something", Nail held his hand out, helping his cousin off the ground, "Mind telling me what you saw? Or what the hell the smoking was about?"

"Not here. We're going to good look a complete other places first. I have a theory"

"Oooh a theory"

Each place that the fox had destroyed, Piccolo found the same thing. She had never attacked any village people, just waiting until the guards or Freeza himself appeared, and then she attacked. She was drawing them out for some reason, she had no quarrel with the actual village, just with Freeza himself. Nail found them a place away from the village, an open patch where it would be hard for someone to spy on them.  
"Are you going to tell me what your theory is now? Or are you just going to keep being the strong silent type and pissing me off forever?"

Nail tore a piece of bread, shoving a chunk of it into his mouth, "I mean I have theories too. But do you ask? Nooo"

Piccolo raised an eyebrow, taking an apple from his bag and throwing it at Nail's head. The other man dodged it, the apple instead smashing against the tree into a mess, "Shut up. We both know that I'm better with psychic imprints. When it's time to get the shit beaten out of us, then you can help out"

"Oh screw you dude", Nail grumbled, stuffing the rest of his bread into his mouth, "Now start talking or I'll get my own investigation going. And it'll be awesome"

"What will you do? Get seduced by the fox and then she'll try to eat your face and I'll have to save you. Again"

"One-time dude!"

They glared at each other for a few moments before Piccolo sighed, "Fine. The whole thing is just… weird and confusing. I was already on edge enough knowing that it was a fox, but she's acting even weirder then we first thought. Despite what Freeza told us, she isn't trying to destroy the town"

"What? What the hell is she doing then? With all of the fire and shit?" Nail waved his hands around his head for a moment, "We saw the damage that she did"

"Controlled damage. She's trying to draw Freeza out, she wants him", and she was angry. Beyond what he had seen, because she was completely in control. There was a mind behind the violence, a personality. She could be talked to and reasoned with. Hopefully. Hell Hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Nail dug his heal into the dirt, dragging a trench into the ground, "She's hunting him"

Piccolo nodded. In some ways it made it easier to know that she was hunting one person but it could make her harder to stop too. If she knew that they were there, she could hide wait them out. That was the problem with an intelligent spirit, "He did something. Destroyed a shrine, killed her child for their fur, I have no idea. And I don't really think he'll tell us, so we can't really fix it. If she's not a murderer I don't want to kill her"

"Do you think we can talk to her? Find out why she's so upset? Or if she just going to try and come at us", Nail pulled a book out of his bag, flipping through it, "I know you said you don't want to kill her but Piccolo… what if she doesn't feel the same way?"

He shrugged, closing his eyes for a moment, "I, I don't know right now Nail. This whole thing is fucking stressing me out something horrible. We'll have to ask around the town, see if anything weird happened what, two years ago? That's when Freeza told us she showed up. If it's something simple, we can fix it. If it's not", he sighed, thumping his head against the tree behind him.

"A headache?"

"Huge one" 

Piccolo rolled over onto his side, attempting to get comfortable on the bedroll. He was used to sleeping on the ground, not in a building. Not a lot of villages had a lot of extra space for travelers and they were happy to sleep outside. There was something pulling at his thoughts, something that was important in this case. He covered his eyes with his hands pressing his palms into his eyes.

Son. The woman's name was Son Chi-Chi. So her husband had been Son something, that was important. Something about the surname Son and the village they were in. A priest. They didn't have a priest. Piccolo flung his arm out, hitting Nail in the process.

"Nail. Nail", Piccolo sat up, grabbing Nail's arm with his hands and shaking the other man, "Nail. Fuck man wake up. I need to talk to you"

"Uggh, what the fuck do you want", Nail swung his hand up, attempting to hit Piccolo in the face as he did so, "I'm trying to sleep you asshole"  
"They don't have a fucking priest here you douche", Piccolo growled, attempting to get Nail to understand what he had realized, "There used to be a Priest named Son Gohan. He adopted a child named Son Goku. Son Goku inherited his father's land. Son. Chi-Chi"

"So what, she could be any other Sons wife you know that", Nail attempted to hit Piccolo again, but his hand fell to the floor instead, "Can't we talk about this in the morning"

"No shut up. We have to find out what Son's husbands name was. Because if I'm right then this land used to belong to Son Goku, when he died it would have gone to his kids. The kids with the dead goddamn mother"

Nail opened one eye, glaring up at Piccolo, "Oh my god could this not have waited until the morning? I'm fucking tired you dick"

Piccolo grabbed the edge of the bedroll from underneath Nail, pulling it out from under his cousin. Nail rolled on to the floor with a thud. Piccolo tossed the bedroll back onto Nail, before he laid down to go back to sleep.

"YOU'RE A DICK"

"Go to bed Nail"

In the morning Nail was still angry, glaring at Piccolo as the man brewed their morning tea, "Now would be a good time to tell me what you realized last night and couldn't wait to tell me. You asshole"

"I thought I might forget if I didn't tell you last night. Long story short, I don't think Freeza was the original owner of this village. Therefore, Son Goku would have to die, then Son Goku's kids. Unless Freeza could take custody of them for some reasons. Like if he married their mother"

"But Freeza never mentioned being married to Chi-Chi. I mean he kept calling her Son Chi-Chi… not whatever his last name is. Wait what is Freeza's last name? That's sketchy isn't it? Not telling us what his full name is?"

Piccolo poured their tea out, taking a deep breath before he started speaking, "I think he tried to marry her. While she was still pregnant with her second child. But she rejected him. I'm not sure if Son Chi-Chi is the fox or not, but I think Freeza is the reason she's dead"

"Isn't that a little…I dunno, insane? Assuming that he murdered this chick just for the land rights? I didn't think this place was anything super special I mean, it's just a village right?" Nail asked, taking a sip of his tea.

"Look I'm just saying that out of everything I just told you, it's totally possible that Freeza did something to this woman. Beyond all of that, he's a fucking creepy asshole. Are you telling me that it didn't feel like the whole room was cold when we were with him?"

"Wow. And here I was ready to tell you all of that. But you did all of my work for me"


End file.
